Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to wheeled luggage, baggage, portfolios, briefcases, golf bags, and carry-on cases. In particular, to a removable wheel system that can easily be affixed to such articles and allow wheeled transport. More specifically, this invention relates to a frame structure and wheelbase with an attaching means.
Luggage is the broad term used to describe the variety of shapes and sizes of containers used to transport goods. The contents of the luggage also varies in size, shape, value, and fragility. The one common denominator is that carrying luggage is burdensome and difficult, especially when combining the weight of the luggage, cumbersome shape/design, and weighty contents.
In order to address the difficulties carrying luggage, wheeled luggage and multi-purpose carriers developed. Wheeled luggage refers to the various suitcases and baggage that employ wheeling devices, and allow users to roll their luggage. The wheeled luggage typically deploys a handle to aid in the transport and are usually hard cased units that have a plurality of wheels integrated into the design. The wheels are permanent features of the luggage and may or may not be fully retractable within the luggage.
Multi-purpose carriers are those devices that are used to aid in transportation of luggage, packages, groceries and other items. The multi-purpose carriers and carts are additional pieces of gear that must be available to the user. Luggage and other items are placed onto the carriers, which allow wheeled transport. Some of these carriers may be rented in some transportation terminals, or they may be personal carriers that are carried and stored in addition to the luggage.
Various attempts have been made to incorporate wheels into luggage and portfolio designs. A pair of retractable/extendible rear wheels is discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,758,752, wherein the rear wheels store inside a wheel bracket integrated into the luggage design and automatically deploy and retract by a spring assembly. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,813,503, a luggage case with a deployable handle has retractable/extendable wheel sets pivotably mounted to the luggage where a spring controls the extension and actuates when the handle is engaged. Another luggage wheel design is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,862,165, where the wheel assemblies are integrated flanges connected by a shaft that attach to the luggage and engage the wheel assemblies. A wheel housing member with integrated wheels is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,456,342, where the member is affixed to the luggage by rivets or screws and can incorporate a shield member. Another integrated design, U.S. Pat. No. 5,634,538 is a wheel assembly fitted into an engaging portion of the luggage and fixedly attached.
Luggage and baggage carriers are also disclosed in the prior art. The invention discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,506,897 is for a collapsible luggage carrier that has an integrated wheel assembly with wheel brackets hingedly attached to a U shaped frame. The wheels fold in on the carrier, allowing more convenient storage of the device. Another carrier is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,759,559, where the wheels are adjustable in height and connected to a Y shaped support structure.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,529,156 is a frame for soft-sided luggage. A lightweight and rigid frame with built in wheel wells and a shaft between the wheels can be integrated into the design of the soft-sided luggage.
There have been some attempts at implementing removable wheels. U.S. Pat. No. 3,861,703 uses hook and loop (more familiarly known as Velcro) to attach the wheels, wherein a flat mount bracket has one section of a hook and loop strip and the mating hook and loop strip is on the luggage. Support structures are attachable to the sides of the luggage and connect with a receiving portion on the flat mount bracket. Another detachable wheel patent in disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 5,188,381, where a bracket is connected or integrated onto the luggage, and the U shaped wheel and axle assemblies are attachable to the bracket.
While the wheeled suitcases and multi-purpose carriers are effective in some situations, certain types of luggage are not equipped with integrated wheels. And, there are certain instances where wheels are burdensome and inconvenient. As an example, cleaning soft-sided luggage with permanent wheels is much more difficult than washing such luggage without such structures.
Soft-sided luggage is popular for a variety of reasons, including being lightweight and foldable into a convenient size for storage. Traditional knapsacks are being re-designed to include permanent wheel assemblies. Students that have to carry heavy loads in their knapsacks can now wheel the load. The lightweight and portable soft-sided luggage is also preferred for the transportation of certain objects, particularly art. The soft-sided carrying units can be machine-washed and compactly stored when not in use. Pockets and storage compartments are easily implemented, and rigidity is provided by removable foamcore, corrugated plastic or cardboard inserts. Integrating wheels permanently into the design of the soft-sided luggage detracts from its advantages.
In addition, permanent integrated wheel assemblies have certain disadvantages. Wheel assemblies that are fully retractable within the case consume considerable cargo space of the luggage. Those assemblies that are not retractable protrude beyond the necessary shape of the luggage, requiring more space for carrying and storage. The wheel assemblies add weight and cost to the luggage as well as manufacturing difficulties.
Certain articles require specialized luggage, and conventional wheeled assemblies would not be possible. The shape of art portfolios is generally sized to transport works that are long and high, but narrow in width. A typical portfolio case is approximately four feet in length, three feet in height, and five inches in width. The carrying cases are designed to carry the general size and shape of art works, mostly prints (framed or unframed), that are transported in rectangular portfolios. The professionals using these bags require bags that are sturdy, lightweight, and aesthetically pleasing to transport the valuable contents. Once the works are inserted into the portfolios, they become very heavy, making the transportation onerous and more difficult.
Other types and configurations of art portfolios are common, including tube articles used to transport artwork that is rolled. These are cylindrical soft-sided canisters with a zippered top cover. The diameter varies in size, but are typically four, six, eight, ten and twelve inches. They are generally three to six feet in length.
Golf bags are also cylindrical shaped bags, typically soft-sided, that carry expensive and heavy clubs. Some bags employ permanent wheel assemblies affixed to the bottom, making carrying and storage more difficult. Without wheels, the user must carry the bag even when not on the golf course.
What is needed is a simple and easy-to-use removable wheel assembly. The assembly should be cost effective to manufacture and be made with long-lasting materials. The unit should install and uninstall quickly and not interfere with the usage of the luggage whether attached or unattached. This device should not detract from the aesthetic design of the luggage.